Process & Expectations

Our years of experience have taught us that communication is vital for a project to run smoothly. Therefore, we pride ourselves on having direct, honest communication with our clients. There will always be issues; however we strive to minimize any unwelcome surprises. This section will be your guide as we work together.

We want you to know what to expect during each phase of your project. Expect to be informed…and please contact us if you feel you are not informed enough. Please take a few minutes to review this section…And feel free to ask us for clarification if required.

You’ve made an Incredible decision by calling us at this early stage in your project.

What to Expect

During your site visit, our structural engineer, architect and interior decorator we will visit your home, take measurements and photos, listen to why you want to remodel, and learn about your lifestyle. It is best that you have your property survey and elevation certificate available during this meeting.

Get Ready! All of the information we compiled in the site visit will be drawn up and put into a 3D model allowing you to take a virtual tour of your renovation. Design and Budget appointments are usually scheduled within two weeks after your site visit. We will make any changes you like and present you with the budget of your project. This is also the time you may sign your agreement to move forward.

You will meet with Raghda, our Interior Designer and select your tile, granite, paint colors and other items for your renovation that deal with design, color and finishing material. You will also choose plumbing fixtures and items recommended. Another meeting will be booked to discuss construction details such as cabinet design, new lights, specific locations, window style, doors and closet designs.

Don’t worry. We’ll handle this for you. The first thing we will do is submit applications to the HOA and city and secure approvals for the proposed design. This process can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. You can help expedite this is by having documents ready such as property survey and elevation certificate. Make sure you provide contact numbers, website and other information that is helpful about the HOA. It is best to do this at the time of signing your contract.

Your project manager will go over the phases that will take place to complete your job. He will manage all aspects of your job. Relax, you are in good hands. They are educated in the industry and continue to take classes to stay current on all construction matters. Trust your project manager to get the right crews on your job at the right time. If you have any questions about your job, your Project Manager is your point person and who you should contact. If you have any after office hour or weekend emergencies, please contact your Project Manager. If you cannot get a hold of your project manager, please contact Adam, General Manager.

Make sure you have cleaned out the rooms that will be under construction. Clean out cabinets, remove breakable items and make sure you leave a clear path for crews to come and go. If you have items that are special to you or breakable, please remove them from areas where our crews will be and keep them in a safe place. If you are doing a kitchen remodel and decide you want to continue living in the house during the project, we suggest setting up a wet bar or area in your home to serve as a temporary area you can use to make coffee, keep drinks, snacks and use your microwave.

Remodeling is a stressful process. At Incredible Renovations we will do our best to make the process as stress-free and enjoyable as we can. People will be coming in and out of your home, your home will get dirty, the items you are used to grabbing will be out of the way and you may also feel a lack of privacy. What can you do?

Keep your eye on the prize. Your home will be disrupted for a few months. However, the long term renovation will be well worth it.

Budget for a few get-a-ways. Make sure you coordinate that with your Project Manager to coincide with weeks of high noise and activity. This will relax you and your family as well as give the crews extra hours to get the job done quicker. You may also want to budget for things you want to do around town. Treat yourself to events on the weekends and explore the city.

Don’t hold up the process. Keep a lock box on your door containing a house key that our crews can use to enter your home. This will allow them to work without interrupting your day. Don’t put time constraints on when crews can arrive and how late they can stay. Please also allow them to work on weekends. Your project manager will manage reasonable hours. If you do have specific hours, days, religious holidays or other situations that require our crews to take a break, please alert your Project Manager as soon as possible.

Know that stress and frustration are common and expected in the remodeling process. If you are feeling the signs of stress, contact Judyth, our Public Relations Manager. She will be happy to hear your concerns, help any way she can and assist you in finding a solution.

Let the Project Manager Manage. You may feel you know the steps of managing a project; however, our Project Managers have real world experience, and outstanding track record, customer references and accolades and Incredible Renovations has over 30 years of experience in new construction and remodeling.

Stick to your budget and plan. You will have ideas or see something new and want to add it. If it fits in your budget, great. If it is over budget, you may cause yourself undue stress.

Realize your spouse and kids will be cranky. Some homeowners lose their cool during the process. If you take your emotions out on a family member, realize it’s the situation not the person and apologize.

Set weekly or bi-weekly meetings with your Project Manager for updates. This will help you realize the progress and how close you are to the finish line.

Once construction is almost over, you’ll notice some things. There may be a smudge on the wall, grass outside that was damaged or other items. Mark the items where applicable with blue painters tape. Also make a list and provide it to your Project Manager. Be prepared that months after the initial punch list you may look up and notice a spot in the paint. Don’t panic, just call us. We’ll be happy to take care of items you find after we have finished the job. It is inevitable that we may have to make several visits back to the house to finish the items.

At Incredible Renovations, we do not stop at the warranty period. We continue serving our clients for years to come.

Cleanliness and Remodeling

Remodeling is a messy process. We take measures to control and reduce dust. Unfortunately, at certain phases sometimes we may not be able to totally prevent it. The homeowner should plan to change furnace filters frequently during the remodeling process.

What Cleanliness means to Incredible Renovations

We commit to the following:

We will broom sweep and straighten up the project area daily. We typically cover the floors with protective coverings in areas of high construction traffic. We will hang plastic to segregate living areas from project areas as required.

We do NOT do the following:

We do not clean windows that are outside of the impacted area of work. We do not house sit pets. Please make arrangements for your pets during the remodeling process.

Please move important items away from the project site to prevent damage.

If we are doing exterior work, please remove pictures and other wall hangings from those walls. Vibration from working on exterior walls may result in those items falling off the wall and being damaged. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to remove pictures and other wall hangings before work can begin. Please don’t re-hang pictures before work is completed. We are also not responsible for nail pops that occur on interior walls when working on the exterior. If we are doing work on the interior of the home, please remove personal valuables (jewelry, money, family heirlooms, etc) as far as possible from the construction site to prevent damage.

Who do I Call?

Your Project Manager is your Point of contact person. Think of him as the coach of the team. He/She calls the shots, comes up with the plays and puts the team into motion. Under his/her direction the game will be won.

We need it in writing before we do the work. Verbal discussions and agreements do not commit Incredible Renovations to any activities. It is important to document any changes or additional work that isn’t specified in the contract so we are all “on the same page.”

Change Order

No matter how much effort is put on the design features and details, as your project takes shape you may see things differently. As your Project progresses you may wish to change some features of your project, we understand. Please feel free to approach us at any time regarding changes. You may discuss them with your project manager. To keep things under control, we use what is called a change order. The change order defines the change and any adjustments in the cost of the project. It is then presented to you for review and final approval. The purpose of the change order is to keep track of changes from the original contract and to enable the homeowner to be fully aware of any cost adjustments to your project. Not all change orders cost you money. Some result in credits and some are all-square with net zero dollar amount. If there is a charge, there is a 25% fee added to change order payments are due to be paid as stated in the change order before any work can begin. Change orders can also change the completion date of your project.

At Incredible Renovations changes can always be made, however, if you submit a change order before something is built or fixtures are ordered it is much cheaper than changing it after the fact since that many involve demolishing and/or restocking/return charges. Please note that change orders have to be approved by you and the builder in writing. If we do not see your written approval within 3 days, then the proposed change will be ignored and construction will continue as per the original plans and specifications. All change orders are do upon approval. Work will not begin until payment is received.

Payments are due when stated in the payment schedule.

Please plan ahead for payments. We attempt to give a few days’ notice before a payment is due. However, it is the clients’ responsibility to know when it is due and to prepare to make that payment. Sometimes clients need to transfer money, and this can often take a few days. Please note that these payments are due at substantial completion of the corresponding phases. For you convenience we accept payment by credit card for up the 50% of the cost of the project. If you wish to make a credit card payment in excess of 50% there will be a surcharge of such payments. The best procedure for submitting payment is giving the check to your Project Manager or leaving it somewhere safe for the Project Manager to pick it up. We prefer that you do not mail the check due to issues with the United States Postal Service in the past.

Communication

We would like to have a primary contact in your household that will be available to make decisions, to communicate your selections, and generally interact with Incredible Renovations. This will help us to keep the project moving and eliminate unnecessary delays.

We would like you to know that all communication should start with the Project Manager assigned to your job. He is there every day and has the most knowledge about the progress of your project. If he cannot or does not answer your questions, please feel free to give us a call in the office and someone will be happy to assist you.

Our Project Completion Process

As we near the end of your project, the Project Manager will maintain a list of items to finish the project. He will coordinate with you on the details of this list. When this list is finished the production phase is considered complete. We have a project completion form that is signed by the Project Manager and the homeowner to verify this step. This formalizes the final payment process, which is then due. Anything that arises beyond this point is considered a warranty issue, and is cared for through the warranty process.

Setting Client Expectations

Staying within budget – We set the budget at the beginning of the project, and while we include overhead fees, if the project should exceed the set cost for unforeseen reasons, no charges will be made to the customer.

Staying within schedule – We set the schedule upfront as well, and commit to having the project finished by the end date promised, or we offer a late fee (up to $300/day depending on the project)

Expertise – Having an architect, engineer, and interior designer on staff means that the design staff is certified in their field, and able to handle any project in house without having to deal with exterior help. If there’s a question we don’t know the answer to, we will do the research and find out.

Communication – Quick follow-up to all emails/phone calls with answers being provided as soon as possible. Your Project Manager will touch base daily to ensure the project is moving along as planned.

Ownership of problems – In the event that something does go wrong with the project, Incredible Renovations will do whatever it takes to fix the problem.

Guidance – We will handle all of the HOA documents and processes needed to accomplish the project on time and on budget. While the customers make the decisions, we will use our experience to offer any assistance they need.

Fine Tuning – Until the contract is signed, we will work with clients making revisions on the budget and plans until it meets their complete satisfaction.

Team Mentality – Clients work with every member of the team at one point or another, so we all play an important role, pitch in, and have a customer-first mentality.

Referable Business – We want our clients to want to pass us along! We strive for every client to suggest us to a friend.

Respect – We will respect the commitments made to our clients, as well as their privacy and daily life.

MISSION STATEMENT:

To continue being the most referred Design/Build/Remodeler by continuously educating our staff and trade partners to professionally deliver a high-quality product to our clients, on time and within pre-defined budget while improving our communities wherever we work.